Bulls becoming feel-good story

The only thing missing from the Bulls' 100-83 Sunday matinee victory over the Knicks was a group hug.

And since league rules dictate a 10-minute cooling-off period before reporters enter the locker room, perhaps that happened privately as well.

The good vibes flowed in a loose and giddy postgame scene that paralleled the free-wheeling and energetic way the Bulls played on offense in draining 10 three-pointers and on defense in holding the Knicks to 37 percent shooting.

And if the praise for interim coach Jim Boylan included some revisionist history about Scott Skiles, who did coach a 49-victory team last season, so be it.

"Any time there's change, it's not necessarily bad," Ben Gordon said after leading the Bulls with 25 points off the bench. "Sometimes you need change to get things stirred up and to play well again. Jim's approach is he has guys a little bit more relaxed than before, not as uptight. It seems it's transferring on the court. Guys are enjoying themselves.

"Skiles wasn't making things tense. But Skiles was known as a disciplinarian or whatever you want to call him, strict or whatever. Jim is more laid-back. But he still demands the same thing. They have two different personalities."

At least for two games, the Bulls have returned to their personality of outworking opponents, defending and sharing the ball on offense, traits that defined the Skiles-led teams that made three straight playoff appearances.

With general manager John Paxson in attendance, the Bulls rallied from a poor first half of rebounding to limit the Knicks to one shot often in the second half, and they swarmed Zach Randolph into 8-for-23 shooting.

They drained seven of their first 10 three-pointers and shot 50 percent or better for just the third time all season. They pushed the ball upcourt and still finished with no turnovers from their starting backcourt of Kirk Hinrich and Chris Duhon.

"I thought we played together as a team," Boylan said. "That's something we've struggled with this year and was one of the points of emphasis—that we wanted to get back to our brand of basketball. The ball moved around really well for us.

"We're getting down the floor and shooting the ball in rhythm. The ball is moving from side to side. We're delivering passes on the money. Guys aren't reaching for balls. Passes are delivered to the shooting pocket and guys are just letting it fly."

The game turned midway through the third quarter.

Leading 59-55, the Bulls ripped off a 10-0 run featuring four points from Ben Wallace and closed the third with a 14-2 spurt overall. Wallace, enjoying his second straight double-digit rebounding game, kept one possession alive with two offensive rebounds and then dropped home a jumper.

"Ben was outstanding," Boylan said. "His energy was infectious."

Wallace added six points, two steals and several deflections to his 10 rebounds.

"Jim's got everybody a lot looser," Wallace said. "Any time you play hard and have fun, good things happen."

Why the Bulls couldn't or wouldn't do that for Skiles is yesterday's news. The Bulls are looking forward.

Coincidentally, Boylan served as the Bulls' head coach at Madison Square Garden last season after Skiles was ejected from the infamous Nov. 25, 2006, game in which Wallace defied Skiles by wearing a banned headband.

Boylan is only promised this season. Thus far, unity reigns.

"Whenever there's a coaching change it gets people's attention," Boylan said. "Guys are starting to realize the season is slipping away. Now it's upon all of us in this room to do the job we're supposed to be doing."